A Hero's Blood
by DarkAres
Summary: CONTINUING SLOWLY: A tale following Marth and his journey into a new world. Confronted with a new warzone, he finds allies and enemies in the strangest of people, and struggles to find a way home. The blood of a hero never fails... (Melee era)
1. Prologue: Awakening

_Medeus burst at Marth with one final breath, but it was already too late._

_Marth held the Falchion high above his head. This was it. _

_Everything was on his shoulders now. The fate of the entire continent._

_The blood of the hero Anri flowed through him, and it was draining from his body. But he was the only one who could do this. And he would accept his job at any cost._

_Medeus began to activate it's dragon stone for another attack._

_It was over seconds later, the Falchion still glowing through the dragon blood._

_Five long years, over in an instant._

_Marth had won the Dark War. Akanea was free once more._

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It kept returning to him, especially in times of peace.

Three years had passed since than, and Akanea was prospering. Marth was the new king of Aritia and engaged to Sheeda, Princess of Talis. Falchion, the Sword of Light, was locked away safely in the treasury. Most importantly, rebuilding from the five year Dark War was almost complete throughout the entire continent.

Yet Marth couldn't shake off the feeling of dread. No revolutions seemed to be stirring, but the uneasiness was unmistakable. And the memory of his battle to save Akanea kept revisiting him, almost warning him that it wasn't over. Today, the feeling of impending doom was stronger than ever. It almost made him feel...

"Marth?"

The young king looked up, returning from the thoughts of his mind to reality. Before him stood a beautiful girl, about the same age as him. Her hair was blue, like his own, but much lighter and longer. Wearing a simple dress and an innocent face, no one would have guessed that she had only years ago fought alongside Marth as a Pegasus Knight.

"Marth, are you okay?" she asked again, looking into his eyes.

Marth looked away for an instant; she had such intense eyes. That fact had never changed, though their relationship certainly had. "I was just thinking, Sheeda." Marth answered, trying his best to put on a fake smile. But his fiancee knew him better than that.

"More darkness on the way?" Sheeda asked, referring to his thoughts lately. Her tone had only a hint of sarcasm.

"Yes. It seems particularly strong today." Marth replied. "I'm worried. Something's not right..."

"You're just being paranoid." Sheeda said. "If something was happening, you would have heard about it by now. We do have friends all over Akanea. Relax."

"You might be right, but…" Marth began, but Sheeda quickly put her finger on his lips.

"It'll be okay, Marth," she said, moving her hand back. "Even if something happens, we'll stop it. I mean, you ended the Dark War! What could be more dangerous than that?"

"True, I don't think anything can really compare." Marth realized.

"Exactly! We can stop anything that gets in our way. Together." Sheeda finished, smiling.

Before Marth could reply, the princess took his hand and led him outside. "We've got a lot of work to do, Lord Marth." she said.

And neither of them gave the thoughts any more time that day. Members of royalty didn't have as much free time as many would assume, and they were soon caught up with work, their minds at ease.

But that night, the memory returned to Marth. Along with something else he had never seen. A dream..

A massacre.

And he was in the middle of it, soaked in blood and staring down at...someone. It was quite blurry, and all Marth could make out was a hint of red. And the smell of fire.

The Falchion was in his hands, and Marth realized he wasn't anywhere in Akanea he had ever seen or even heard of. This appeared to be another continent altogether. Perhaps another world. Whatever it was, it caused the king to wake up in sweat.

_"We need you..."_

A chorus of unknown voices called him, yet they seemed to be inside his mind. Whatever they were, they were powerful, and Marth found himself moving against his will. Entering the royal treasury, he picked up the sheath the sacred Falchion slept in and changed into his armor. Than he began to blank out as his body continued to move, Falchion unsheathed.

Something was calling him, and before Marth knew it, everything went black.

He was under its control now.


	2. Chapter 1: Footsteps of Fate

Alright, so I know…oh wait, I mean hi.

I know the prologue was VERY Fire Emblem heavy, but I'm just trying to establish a decent background for Marth. For those of you who have played Fire Emblem, this happens between Book 1 and Book 2 of Fire Emblem 3. Or rather, two years after Fire Emblem: Dark Dragon and Sword of Light. And for the record, I know "Altea" can also be used as the name for Marth's home, but "Aritia" seems better to me, and seems to be used just as often.

So this chapter should drift away from Fire Emblem into actual Super Smash Brothers. Since this is my first fanfic based on either game, do tell me if I screw up. And general constructive criticism is appreciated.

Thanks for reading (unless you skipped that bit, in which case I'll have to send the Tails Doll after you).

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Chapter 1: Footsteps of Fate

The recovery from darkness was no different than waking up in the morning. In fact, Marth even found himself lying down on a pile of leaves near what looked like a burned out bonfire.

"_Did I do this?" _he thought groggily, unaware of the situation. He appeared to be in a forest somewhere, though it looked no different than the ones near the castle. Marth probably would have thought he was near the castle, if not for one thing…

"Falchion?" Marth said aloud, staring at the sheath buckled to his belt. _"Actually, why am I in my armor?" _

Than it came back to him; the voices, his self-moving body, waking up the Sword of Light…and something else. A bright light engulfing him right before the blackness.

"_What just happened to me?" _Marth wondered, getting onto his feet.

Dusting off his cape, he looked at the proud symbol of Aritia it bore. How it had given so much hope to people during the Dark War, simply because they knew it was Anri's descendant who wore it. That's what he was; a descendant of a great hero.

But what was he now, having battled the Dark Dragon?

Or did he still not compare to Anri?

What would he be without the Falchion? Would they still call him their hero?

And why was there dirt in his mouth?

"_Dirt?" _Marth thought, snapping back to reality. Suddenly, he became aware of a sharp pain the back of his head, and the fact that he was lying face down.

"Still alive?" a voice sounded behind him. An…unnatural voice. Almost metallic. Someone…or something had attacked Marth.

Gripping the hilt of his sword, Marth spun 180 degrees as he stood on his feet, ready to strike. And yet he found himself frozen in his attacker's presence.

It appeared to be a human, at least in shape. Nearly six feet tall, this human figure was comprised of purple crystals held together by a thin wire frame. Apart from piercing red eyes and bulging muscles, it bore no human details. Marth had to wonder where the voice came from…

"You are not him." it continued, looking Marth up and down. Its eyes stopped at the Falchion. Fearfully.

"Who are you?" Marth demanding, pointing his blade at the being.

"Fighting Wire Frame #65. I can't let you leave now." it answered, beginning to rush the king.

"_No weapons?"_

#65 threw a punch at Marth, who lifted the Falchion to block. The blade clanged as the blow struck, pushing the king back a few inches. Its fist was stronger than any axe Marth have ever fought against.

"_I've got to find an opening, but this thing is too fast." _Marth realized, blocking each attack. They weren't getting any weaker either, and the swordsman was having trouble keeping his balance.

The attacker switched suddenly from jabs to a kick, nailing Marth in the stomach. Despite his armor, the king nearly doubled over as his breath escaped him.

"Definitely stronger than any axe." Marth gasped, falling back onto his heels. With a quick push, he darted past the Wire Frame, landing a quick cut as he went.

"Die already." It exclaimed, running after him. Despite its attacking speed, it didn't seem to be a great runner. Which meant it was probably not good at stopping.

Marth turned to face the enemy, sliding slightly into his stance as #65 nearly ran into him. Yet somehow, he brought his arms up to block Falchion's thrust. Throwing the sword back, it returned to its punching onslaught.

Dodging now right and light, Marth decided to avoid blocking completely. Now he would have more time to react with a counter-slash. One cut at the neck and it would be over. One little opening…

"There it is!"

Ducking under #65's jab, Marth stepped forward and swung his Falchion, slitting through the crystallized fighter's throat.

"Im…possible…" #65 cried, its head falling back. It dissolved into crystals, fading before Marth's eyes.

"What in the world was that?" Marth exclaimed, grasping at the one of the fading crystals. To his surprise, a thin wire frame of a human body lay fleshless on the ground.

He bent down to examine it, Falchion still glowing in his hands. Marth ran his hands over the wire frame, and snapping it in his grasp. It didn't seem unnatural in any way, or even borrowing from the magic arts. This was basic steel, possibly silver around the forearms. Whatever animated it was in those crystals.

This was definitely not Akanea. That much was certain. Now there was just that task of figuring out how to get back. Or rather, at least getting away from the dead body, as it was sure to bring…

"65 was defeated?"

Reinforcements. And more Wire Frames from the sound of it. This time Marth was ready. With his sword in both hands, turned once more and prepared to block the oncoming attack.

…only to see another Wire Frame fall to an arrow through the neck.

From the corner of his eyes, Marth saw an archer clad in green atop a nearby hill. It was no wonder the king didn't spot him earlier; his strange tunic allowed him to blend into the forest surroundings. His eyes met Marth's briefly as he reached back to his quiver.

The forest seemed to spring to life as arrows continued to fly, sending metallic shouts into the air.

"_Sounds like a lot of them." _he thought, turning to the hill. And while he didn't know who this archer was, he at least appeared to be on Marth's side. Better than some crystal fighters trying to kill him.

Realizing only where he had started was a clearing, Marth rushed into the trees to avoid pursuit. In the case that he was followed, he would at least have a better chance of survival in the forest. Unfortunately, the archer's cover wouldn't be too helpful here.

"_So I do have someone after me." _

Marth swung behind a tree as a Wire Frame flew by with a punch, hitting thin air. Before it could react, the Falchion had been thrust through what should have been the heart. But Marth was about to learn a valuable lesson.

Wire Frames had no hearts. Literally.

The stabbed Wire Frame aimed an elbow at Marth's face, but the swordfighter pulled out his blade in time to block. Pushing back the attacker's arm, he struck in the only place he knew would kill; the neck.

One slit later, another frame of a body lay on the ground, and Marth had disappeared into the trees once more.

From the openings in the trees above, Marth noticed more arrows raining down behind him. Strange, glowing arrows. They almost reminded him of the Falchion's glow.

"_Maybe they have legendary arrows instead of a legendary sword. Although that seems like a bit of a waste."_

Ahead of him, the ground began to slope up into a clearing. Hopefully it was leading to the archer, but Marth couldn't be sure of his direction after the last fight. For all he knew there were more Wire Frames waiting for him.

An arrow just sailing past his ear told him otherwise. Easing into a walk, Marth raised his sword in a sign of respect.

"I am not your enemy. I just want to thank you for your help," the swordsman said, walking towards the archer. He already had another arrow loaded in his bow, but his grip slackened at the site of Marth.

"Behind you!"

The archer turned suddenly and fired his arrow, nicking the Wire Frame that jumped out at him. Before the attacker could touch the ground, Marth jumped and slashed its chest, dissolving it.

Opening his mouth to speak, the archer suddenly reached for a sword on his back. He managed to put away his bow and whip out his sword in a second; Marth couldn't help but be amazed at his speed.

Although this was not the time to be amazed, as a ring of Wire Frames now surrounded.

"They followed me?" Marth questioned, holding the Falchion with both hands. As he concentrated his mind, the sword began to glow. Time to use its true power.

Around the two swordfighters, a blue aura appeared, resembling a crystal itself. The Wire Frames stepped back at the sight of it, and some began to run. But it was too late for them.

The shielding crystal twisted, revealing the hundreds of small crystals that formed it. With the sudden speed of an arrow, they all fired out around the swordfighters and towards the Wire Frames. None of them escaped without at least three blue crystals digging into their bodies, and the hill was soon scattered with at least twenty dead frames.

"What was that?" Marth exclaimed, turning to the archer.

"I call it Nayru's Love," a voice answered from afar. And yet it seemed so clear."Oh, you must not know where I am. One second."

Before Marth, a human figure materialized. But it was not a Wire Frame; this was a human. A girl, probably not much older than Marth. She wore a dull pink dress, yet it was obviously one of royalty. The triangular earrings hidden in her orange hair also hinted at royal status.

"I am Princess Zelda of Hyrule." she smiled, bowing her head slightly. "Who might you be?"

"I am Lord Marth of Aritia." the swordsman replied, glancing at Zelda's strangely pointed ears. "Forgive me for being abrupt, but where am I exactly?"

Zelda exchanged looks with the archer before answering.

"Come with us."


	3. Chapter 2: State of the World

_Holy crap I haven't updated this in a long, long time. But I got a random surge of inspiration for this today, and went to my notes. Only to find...I had lost my notes. So I basically wrote down ALL the plot points I think will eventually come up in the story (some in more detail then others) and hopefully that will persuade me to move forward with this. All things considered, I am going to continue to keep this in the realm of Melee despite Brawl being out for a while, and a new SSB being in development. _

_So...enjoy! _

_PS: I suck at chapter titles._

Chapter 2: State of the World

It took Marth a few moments to adjust to the dim cave lighting. This was made no easier by the fact that the version of the Warp Staff that Zelda used went hand-in-hand with a brutally bright flash of energy that surrounded him before whisking him here. If it was as bright to outsiders as well...it was hardly something to be used for stealthy movements. At the very least it could transport them far distances; this cave was carved into the side of a mountain that the lord had been quite a way away from moments ago.

Either way, he was met with the sight of Zelda and the unnamed archer upon regaining his proper sight. As this cave had no furnishings, Zelda had seated herself down on a somewhat larger stone. It was an interesting sight to see one so regal sitting in such a place. Clearly she didn't care about such things. The archer was standing at the cave entrance and looked over Marth. On his back was a quiver of arrows and a scabbard. And there was even more than that on his person; multiple small bags filled with an unknown substance, some sort of chain weapon, and even a boomerang. The last was hardly something Marth expected to see on the battlefield though; a boomerang would hardly do any damage against even basic armor.

Whatever the case the unnamed warrior turned his gaze to Zelda, who nodded at him wordlessly. With that, the man left the cave in no particular hurry.

"Warp Magic...that's fairly advanced." Marth began approvingly, "Though if you do not mind me asking, where is he...?"

"Link is going to scout the area to make sure it's safe. This isn't somewhere we have been personally, so precautions seem to be in order." Zelda prematurely explained. "Don't mind if he doesn't speak much with you. Link is not very talkative lately..."

"Understood." Nodding at her words, Marth turned his gaze away from where Link had left and began searching the area for a similar stone to Zelda's to be seated. There was one just a few steps to his right, so the lord pushed back his cape and took it. "Well it is hardly an officially planned visit, but saving me from those creatures makes me more than grateful for being accepted into Hyrule. Thanks again."

The woman chuckled a little at his words and raised a hand to her mouth before folding both back down into her lap. "This is hardly Hyrule. No, this isn't even the same world that Hyrule is located on. And I take it your kingdom of Aritia is somewhere else as well. No, Link and I were warped here not too long ago."

"Ah, my mistake. But I'm in the same situation it appears." Marth smiled as he brushed off the mistake, "Though...another world? That seems a little difficult to believe."

"I thought so as well at first. It should make more sense when I explain everything." Zelda decided, "It was at least one month ago that Link and I found ourselves in this world. We awoke quite far from here in a desert of sorts. There is a rather famous desert where a powerful enemy of ours hails from in our world, so we initially wrote it off as his doing and prepared for the worst. Even when the strange frame creatures appeared, we believe they were just new soldiers of the villain's army and thus fought them at every turn. It wasn't until we met up with another wanderer who was clearly foreign from our world that we realized just where we were. It was a fully armored woman who seemed to have access to explosive weapons from something built into the armor itself. She introduced herself as Samus and explained she had been dropped into this world some time ago. We eventually came to realize this was an entirely different desert and even an entirely different _world_ from our own as we continued further on. Unfortunately we knew little else except that whatever commanded these framed warriors was trying to kill us."

"So where is Samus now?" Marth questioned. Framed warriors were certainly strange, but armor equipped with explosive weaponry? Such a thing could easily turn the tide of a war. And it was clearly foreign to anything he had seen as well. Was it infused with magic of some sort? He presumed Zelda did not know, and did not break her train of thought right now by asking.

"A few days back, we caught sight of a dragon pass over us. I could not get much from it, but Samus was determined to track it down. It was about the same time that I could feel something calling out for help in this direction, so our group parted. I'd like to think she's alright, but the framed warriors have been growing more aggressive lately..."

"Hm...people called from different worlds and waged war upon by these frame creatures. This dragon may be connected as well. This certainly won't be as simple as using a Warp to reach home. Let us hope there was a reason we were called here." Marth sighed.

"I hope so too. There's enough trouble to deal with back home." the princess smiled, raising herself off the stone seat. Marth quickly followed suit.

"Well, shall we be off? Link may need our help out there."

Zelda had no idea just how true her words would be.


End file.
